cold starting -9 F

[Tractor Seabee]

Works every time!!

Boy, those statements imply a measure of stupidity on my part. Acceptable reaction, except the crawl space was 4-5' high and the ground plain old dirt. I used candles not a flame thrower. Levity is always golden.

Ron

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Rob- I acknowledge your relevant experience and years of safe operation. Unfortunately it can happen and has. I did not make this up. I only offered this information for safety's sake. I do not get my undies in a bunch whether or not owner/operators agree or not. One thing to note 4WD/4WMD tractors are less prone to torque flip as the front wheels if engaged help offset the rear tire's torque. One reads of lots of tractor deaths each year; a lot of reasons for those fatalities. If this article helps an owner/operator operate their tractor more safely then I am happy for posting the link.

I've started/used my tinker toy Kubota in -20F, wouldn't you think it was frozen to the ground in those temps?? Nope, the front end didn't come up...

IF someone had the front end come up, it was SUNK IN, AND frozen to the ground!!

BTW, I have a really NICE bridge for sale...cheeeeep! You interested??

SR

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I am surely glad I do not have that problem with winter temps like a lot of you have. Supposed to get in the 50s here tomorrow. If we get 20 degree weather it is unusual and I am on the couch. Seldom have snow of any depth so have never plowed snow with my BX. In my younger days I spent time in the mountains of AZ. Family friend had an old D-8 with pony motor. We built a fire under it to warm up the oil before starting. He said the first time there was so much oil and grease under there that he did catch it on fire. Repeated fires kept the underside clean as a whistle.

Ron

 

[jbrumberg]

Rob- -17ºF was my coldest ever startup and operate the tractor on frozen icepack and I too had no "torque" issues. I think that you are right about the sunken/frozen in tires, but it can still happen. I saw this phenomena personally with my old Ford 1100. That tractor was so underpowered that it probably could not go much higher than a "wheelie" especially with the dozer blade attached.

No; I have no need for a bridge presently, but if you have an all terrain motorized wheelchair available for a 6 week rental I would be definitely interested.

Actually I feel badly that I am involved in this thread's hijacking. My apologies to the OP.:embarrassed:.

 

[Tractor Seabee]

Don't feel guilty; we all are here with you, this is where we get our jollies in this hum drum world. Sometimes these hijackings bring out some interesting tid bits and even a few laughs. I am on a roll this morning. Happy hijacking to you all, Ron

 

[jbrumberg]

From a publication from the University of Sydney, Australia:

"Rear‐axle torque is the transfer of energy between the engine and rear wheels of a tractor. It may be described as the rear axle rotating with respect to the chassis.
If axle rotation is prevented as in the case where the tyres are stuck (eg if bogged, frozen to the ground or if the load is very heavy), the rotational force moves the tractor backwards around the rear axle, lifting the front wheels off the ground and a backflip can result.
Practices which involve rear‐axle torque reactive force acting to cause a backflip include driving off in low gear but with high engine speed, driving the tractor forward when the wheels are unable to move forward, rapid engagement of the clutch of the tractor, and rapid acceleration, particularly when driving uphill or pulling a heavy load.
Four wheel drive tractors are less likely to backflips as they have more weight over the front axle than a 2WD and the torque is applied to both front and rear axles.
Drawbar leverage describes the force which tends to pull the tractor rearwards when it is towing or pulling an object. The magnitude and its effect on tractor stability will vary according to a number of factors including the weight, draft, hitching point used, resistance to movement and angle of pull."

Just another PSA.... There are many more available from various sources on the internet.

 

[LouNY]

I've started/used my tinker toy Kubota in -20F, wouldn't you think it was frozen to the ground in those temps?? Nope, the front end didn't come up...

IF someone had the front end come up, it was SUNK IN, AND frozen to the ground!!

BTW, I have a really NICE bridge for sale...cheeeeep! You interested??

SR

SR;
I have heard of it happening.
I have had it try to happen to me;
1550 Oliver Utility, parked in a leanto of a shed,
cold frozen ground when it was parked,
snowed then a major warmup,
snow melt ran into the leanto and the ground got soft and muddy,
winter came back, lots of cold and snow,
needed to load the sander on the old plow truck,
went and started the tractor,
it was running an old set of combination double ring and reinforced twist link chains,
it had sunk down 2-3 inches in mud and water which had frozen to tires and chains,
started to try and move it and it would lift the front tires off the ground,
it took considerable time rocking it to get it to start to break free of the hold that the ice had on it,
heavy tractor, loaded tires, chains, mud and water to ice,
it can and has happened, it is rare.
Lou

 

[jbrumberg]

Lou- I am happy that you were not injured. My tractors live outside. The conditions that you described are/were the conditions that I experienced with that old Ford1100 of mine. No chains (at the time) and unweighted tires. Low RPMs and high engaged gearing probably saved my butt. I extricated myself the same way. I do not come by good habits easily, but I do start my tractor's motion in reverse. I learned a lot with that itty bitty tractor.

 

[dnw64]

In the 50s we went to a mountain cabin often in the winter and the pipes were always frozen. Put 6 candles in the crawl space for a hour and bingo they all un-froze.

Ron

So if I'm interpreting this correctly, you went to a mountain cabin and played bingo in the crawl space by candlelight?

 

[buickanddeere]

I have no idea why someone would try to make do with a makeshift heater that is slow, unreliable and could set the tractor on fire .
Just install the proper block heater and plug it in 30minutes to 4 hours prior to use depending on the temperature .

 

[arlen4720]

I have no idea why someone would try to make do with a makeshift heater that is slow, unreliable and could set the tractor on fire .
Just install the proper block heater and plug it in 30minutes to 4 hours prior to use depending on the temperature .

That’s a boring story for the grand kids! I suppose you’re going to tell me that you use winterized fuel too:duh:

 

[Tractor Seabee]

So if I'm interpreting this correctly, you went to a mountain cabin and played bingo in the crawl space by candlelight?

There are more interesting things to do by candlelight than bingo. Ron

 

[Tractor Seabee]

I have no idea why someone would try to make do with a makeshift heater that is slow, unreliable and could set the tractor on fire .
Just install the proper block heater and plug it in 30minutes to 4 hours prior to use depending on the temperature .

You do what you have to do, with what you have; when your are out in nowhere land, kerosene lanterns, outhouses, carry water from the well, and wood fired stove. Only electricity is the lights on the tractor after you get it running.

Ron

 

[jbrumberg]

"....You do what you have to do, with what you have; when your are out in nowhere land,..."- TS

Well posted. Your statement applies to many; even those with electricity and running water living in nowhere land.

 

[crazyal]

I have an old International 2 1/2 ton dump with air brakes. Often, since it's only used as a plow truck, the rear brakes will be frozen to the drums from sitting in the cold. This thing is all torque and it could lift the front tires off the ground. However to do it you would have to rev up the motor pretty high and it has to have a clutch that you can just drop. On a cold winter morning I don't know anyone who would abuse their equipment like that. Even if you've let it run for a half hour of warming up who wouldn't take it easy for the first 15 minutes of operation to let everything warm up. On my International you'll stall the engine unless the temp gauge is close to operating temps. My guess is it could happen but it's extremely rare and only happens by an experienced operator.

 

[buickanddeere]

You do what you have to do, with what you have; when your are out in nowhere land, kerosene lanterns, outhouses, carry water from the well, and wood fired stove. Only electricity is the lights on the tractor after you get it running.

Ron

Plan ahead and be ready .

 

[searcyfarms]

4x8 sheet of plywood - blast/salamander type heater facing it, run plywood from front wheels to back wheels, point salamander at plywood to force air to go up - 30 mins and tractor starts right up - of course goes w/out saying, don't put heater too close to wood :shocked:

 

[Sawyer Rob]

SR;
I have heard of it happening.
I have had it try to happen to me;
1550 Oliver Utility, parked in a leanto of a shed,
cold frozen ground when it was parked,
snowed then a major warmup,
snow melt ran into the leanto and the ground got soft and muddy,
winter came back, lots of cold and snow,
needed to load the sander on the old plow truck,
went and started the tractor,
it was running an old set of combination double ring and reinforced twist link chains,
it had sunk down 2-3 inches in mud and water which had frozen to tires and chains,
started to try and move it and it would lift the front tires off the ground,
it took considerable time rocking it to get it to start to break free of the hold that the ice had on it,
heavy tractor, loaded tires, chains, mud and water to ice,
it can and has happened, it is rare.
Lou

Like I said, it could happen "IF" the rear's were sunk in and frozen in... I have NO doubt that it could happen then and stated so, in my earlier post... At least it could happen on a tractor that has a fairly light front end, for sure...

SR

 

[Oldpath05]

Like I said, it could happen "IF" the rear's were sunk in and frozen in... I have NO doubt that it could happen then and stated so, in my earlier post... At least it could happen on a tractor that has a fairly light front end, for sure...

SR

But only if there's no implement on back, when my pto winches but blade hits the ground the front stops rising and the rear wheels starts spinning, tractor wont even get to a 45* angel.